A growing component of RIPA’s Waterfront Stewardship Program, the “Park-as-Lab” (PAL) initiative is geared toward connecting experienced students and scientists with Randall’s Island Park – an ideal site for the study of urban ecology.
As a public park that is also an island in the middle of New York City, the Island has enormous potential as a resource for research into issues such as water quality and the success of restoration work in urban environments.
If you are interested in collaborating with RIPA to conduct research at Randall’s Island Park please contact RIPA Natural Areas Manager Chris Girgenti.
With the help of student and adult volunteers, regional agencies and research organizations, RIPA currently monitors the Island’s biodiversity, avian species, vegetation, water quality, and marine life, including through salt marsh assessments, heron foraging surveys, and water quality monitoring. In recent years, we have focused on expanding partnerships with research organizations to further research on and understanding of our region’s coastal habitats. A primary focus of the growing “Park-as-Lab” initiative is to create additional research partnerships with university and graduate students, with an eye toward incorporating opportunities for graduate, undergraduate and high school students to conduct supervised scientific research at Randall’s Island Park.
RIPA is committed to fostering a better understanding of the ecology of Randall’s Island Park, of New York City, and of our world as a whole.
Lab Results to Date
Many thanks to RIPA’s growing list of “Lab Partners” including:
